well question

THETOOLMAN · #1 04/25/08, 01:15 PM

MY well has a 10" casing. it has a pump at the bottom in the water. It runs on 220v . I was wondering if I could put a 1/2" refrigerant tube DOWN BESIDE the main water pipe( I have a 100' roll). The well is 130 ft deep but the water stays at 40 to 50 " all the time. I think I could put a CHECK VALVE at the bottom of the tubing to keep this small pipe full & when the electricity goes out use my small pump to get water in an emergancy, I have a small pump hooked to a IH mccormic deering 3-5 HP lb hit & miss engine . It would be less water but better than none.I think this engine & pump would run for weeks & not miss a lick.

VALENT · #2 04/25/08, 02:03 PM

I kind of doubt the pump will be able to pull water up from that depth.

rambler · #3 04/25/08, 02:07 PM

It is difficult to suck water more than 28 feet - vaccum develops, the water column is heavier than air pressure, and the pump would just cavitate - work in a vaccum.

There are exotic ways to help this situation and make it 70 feet or so, but doesn't sound like you are trying any of those additions?

--->Paul

THETOOLMAN · #4 04/25/08, 03:30 PM

NO, I was just wanting to make a emergency water supply out of stuff I had. I was thinking that the refergerant tubing would be small enough that the pump could pick the water up.

watcher · #5 04/25/08, 03:53 PM

Thought about trying a bubble pump to pull the water up to a storage tank? I have never built a big one but they work. Its hard to explain but you inject air at the bottom of a pipe and the bubbles going up the pipe force water up.

I think someone used to sell a windmill system like this. Its selling point was you could place the mill away from the water and there was electrical problems or pump to wear out.

artificer · #6 04/25/08, 04:18 PM

I was going to mention the air bubble pump as well. They need to be twice as long as the distance to the water. If your well is 130 feet, and the water is only 50 feet down, you're good to go. (its actually somewhere around 60-80% longer, IIRC)

Basic principle of the pump is that the bubbles in the riser tube decrease the density of the water. The water pressure outside of the tube forces that water up, and out of the well. Thats why you have to have it almost twice as deep as you would think.

Be careful if you leave the copper tube in the well. If your water is acidic, it can corrode the tubing, and leave whatever you have on the end of it in the well. I have some friends that had problems with their house plumping. Every 5-10 years it would start to have pinhole leaks, which kept getting worse. Not sure if it would be a problem with the well, but just something to think about.

Michael

THETOOLMAN · #7 04/25/08, 06:09 PM

wonder where I could learn more about this?

foxfiredidit · #8 04/25/08, 06:57 PM

Try this link.
It is for an add-on pump to your existing system and you should be able to pump water manually from 200'. In addition, this pump will "charge" your home's pressure tank with enough pressure to handle several chores like showers, dishes, washer, etc., before you have to go out and pump some more to recharge your system again.
http://www.survivalunlimited.com/deepwellpump.htm

THETOOLMAN · #9 04/26/08, 12:21 PM

Is the the AIR BUBBLE SYSTEM???